Draft appliance for railway cars



E. GEORGE, JR

DRAFT APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY CARS Feb. 11, 1930.

Filed Dec. 14, 1926 Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENOCH GEORGE, JR, or PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoRTo THE McCONWAY &

TORLEY COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, SYLVANIA PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- DRAF'I APPLIANCE FOR RAILWAY CARS Application filed December 14, 1926., Serial No. 154,737.

Myinvention relates to draft appliances for railway cars and particularly to those which are coupler to have an extended pivotal or lateral swinging movement when the car to which the device is applied passesaround a curve. The primary object of the invention is to provide a draft appliance of the character indicated which is of simple and compact form, is durable and efficient in'service, whichmay be readily assembled, and which is well adapted for application to light passenger cars.

The principal feature of the invention, generally stated, consists in constructing the draft appliance with a draft yoke to the forward end of which a car coupler the forward end of the is pivotally attached by means of a tail pin, the yoke being provided at its forward end with vertically spaced perforated lugs for receiving the tail pin, and having a coupler supporting extension which projects forwardly from the bottom tail in all working positions of the latter, means being provided on the yoke for limiting the pivotal movement of the coupler with respect thereto, and the yoke being operatively associated with a device for cushioning draft and buffing forces.

A further feature of the invention consists in forming the draft yoke with vertically spaced arms for receiving a draft and buffing cushioning device, and in fashioning yoke with vertically spaced perforated lugs adapted to receive a tail pin forming a coupler connection, the lugs being integrally connected at their rear ends by a tie bar which serves to connect the forward ends of the yoke arms, and a coupler supporting extension being integrally united to the bottom tail pin lug and projecting forwardly therefrom so as to support the coupler in all its working positions.

In the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,-

Figure 1 is a plan View of a draft a ance, showing its relation to the draft of a car.

Figure 2 isa view, partly in vertical section sills pin lug so as to support the coupler primarily designed to permit the between the followers 4 and 5.

nd partly in side elevation, of the construcstops 2 and rear follower stops 3 of awell known type are shown as riveted to the sills 1 in spaced relation so as to cooperate respect tively with the front follower 4 and rear follower 5 of the cushioning device for resisting draft and buffing forces. Between the fol lowers a spring unit 6, consisting of one or more springs as desired, is interposed in the usual manner. The inner face of each of the followers may advantageously be provided with a plurality of lugs or projections 7 which are of arcuate cylindrical form and are spaced from each other so as to embrace the draft spring and hold it in position. These lugs may be of suificient length to serve as stops for limiting the compression of the springs Employing spring centering lugs 7 positioned outside of the spring unit instead of employing central or axially disposed lugs or studs for that purpose, is advantageous in that its permits of the use of any combination of springs with a given outside diameter.

The draft yoke 8 is preferably formed as an integral casting provided toward its rear end with vertically the followers 4 and 5 andthe spring unit 6 are received. At its forward end it is fashioned with vertically spaced perforated lugs 10 and 11, respectively, between which the rear end or butt of the stem of the car coupler 12 is received. The coupler is pivotally connected to the stem bymeans of a tail pin 13 which mayadvantageously be inserted from below. here, as is the case illustrated in the drawings, the pivotal connection between the coupler and yokeis such that the tail pin 13 7 s only in double shear, the yoke 8 is preferspaced arms 9 between which from the rear and its forward face 15 is cylindrically curved to form a bufling bearing for the correspondingly curved rear end 16 of the shank of the coupler 12.

Projecting forwardly from the bottom tail pin lug 11 and integrally united thereto is acoupler supporting extension 17 which widens forwardly in fan shape or flaring form so as to provide an efficient support for the coupler in all working positions of the latter. As shown in the drawings, the extension 17 may advantageously be formed with a centrally disposed vertical stiffening web 18 and a lower flange 19, the latter being supported by a carrier plate 20 secured to the sills 1. In advance of the tail pin 13 and on opposite sides thereof, the coupler supporting shelf or extension is integrally provided with upwardly extending projections 21 20 which limit the extent of lateral swinging n'iovement of the coupler with respect to the yoke. The draft appliance may be conveniently supported at its rear end by a carrier plate 22 having down turned flanges which 25 are bolted or otherwise secured to the sills 1.

I claim a 1. A railway draft appliance involving a draft yoke, a coupler, and a tail pin for pivotall v connecting the yoke and coupler, said volw'being adapted to receive a device for cushioning draft and bufiing forces, and being bifurcated at its forward end to provide vertically spaced upper and lower perforated lugs for receiving the tail pin, and having a coupler supporting extension projecting forwardly from the bottom tail pin lug, and extending laterally in opposite directions be yond the upper perforated lug, said extension being adapted to form a support for the 40 coupler when thelatter swings with respect to the yoke, and said yoke being provided with means for limiting the pivotal movement of the coupler.

2. A railway draft appliance involving in combination, a draft yoke, a coupler, having a stem, a tail pin for pivotally connecting the yokev and coupler, the yoke being provided 7 with spaced arms for receiving a cushioning device between them, and being bifurcated at its forward end to provide vertically spaced perforated lugs for receiving said tail pin, and having a tie bar integrally connecting the lugs at their rear ends and connecting said arms at their forward ends, and being provided with a coupler supporting extension projecting forwardly from the bottom tail pin lug, said extension affording a bearing surface adapted to engage said stem to support the coupler in all working positions of the latter, and a coupler carrier supportingly engaging said extension in advance of said tail pin.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature. v

- 'ENOCH GEORGE, JR; 

